How Did The Attacks On September 11, 2001 Effect The United States?
Background Information:
The ongoing "war against terrorism" has been said to be going on since around the nineteenth century, when President Jefferson had to deal with the Barbary Coast pirates in the Mediterranean Sea. Towards the end of the twentieth century, there were more issues concerning the United States and terrorist attacks. In April 1983, there was a bombing in the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 63 people. In October, of the same year, around 240 people were killed in another bombing in Beirut, on the U.S. Marine base. Then, in August 1998, there were bombings in the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in total injuring around 5,000 people. As a result of the bombings, on August 20, 1998, President Clinton "ordered cruise missile bombings of four Al Qaeda training sites in Afghanistan" (O'Neal). About two years later, on October 12, 2000, Al Qaeda retaliated and attacked the USS Cole (a U.S. Navy Destroyer), while it was docked in Yemen. This attack destroyed the ship and killed and injured more than 30 people. A year later, on September 11, 2001, around 19 men associated with Al Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes, with two of the airplanes destroying the Twin Towers in New York City and one airplane crashing into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth airplane was forced to crash in western Pennsylvania after the passengers learned of the other hijackings. As a result of the attacks, the United States seemed to change socially, economically, and politically.
Social Changes: The United States was impacted socially in many ways. The attack in New York City caused many Americans to lose their jobs, their property, and for some, their lives. Also, there was a drastic increase in the concern for security, which led to new security checks at airports and new acts to be put in place. One of these acts, called the Homeland Security Act was used to create the Department of Homeland Security. The main point of this department is to prevent any further terrorist attacks on American soil. Some of the other operations include "reduce the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism, minimize the damage, and assist in the recovery, from terrorist attacks that do occur within the United States, and to monitor connections between illegal drug trafficking and terrorism, coordinate efforts to sever such connections, and otherwise contribute to efforts to interdict illegal drug trafficking" (Zusman). In addition, more and more public places, such as restaurants and malls, saw a decrease in people. According to Roland Soong, “These survey results are consistent with our prior discussion. Decreased activities are: traveling, dining out, going to malls, going to movies/theaters; Increased activities are socializing, family visits, spending time with children, religious activities, saving money, donating to charity and usage of all types of media." The attacks affected Americans in a way that they spent less money on consumer goods and an increased amount of time with their families. Also, as a result of these attacks, Americans from all around the country seemed to be getting closer to each other, uniting the country, and giving off a feeling of patriotism. "A surge of patriotism gripped the nation. Citizens flew flags, sang 'God Bless America', and donated money to the victims' families, the Red Cross, and firefighters' and police officers' associations" (Greenburg).
Economical Changes: Due to the attacks on September 11th, the United States' economy was slowly beginning to fail. "In addition to the human cost, the 9/11 attacks had severe economic implications for the country, as airline travel was curtailed, investments lost value, and economic activity slowed, worsening an economic recession that was already under way" (O'Neal). Many Americans began to save money and the amount of consumer goods sold slowly began to decrease, as did consumer confidence in general, mainly due to the increase in the amount of unemployed Americans. Also, the airline industry began to lose large sums of money due to the decrease in flights because of the fear of plane hijacking. The United States' businesses were greatly affected by the airline industry's problems, including the Chrysler and Ford Motor Companies after closing some factories due to delayed shipments of parts. After facing bankruptcy, Congress passed a bailout bill, giving the airlines $15 billion in federal subsidies. In addition, there was a fall in stock prices and an increase in the rate of inflation, causing the already weak economy to worsen. "The quest for greater security will, however, impose a longer run cost on the world economy both in terms of a decline in productivity growth and, possibly, greater impediments to the free movement of goods, services, and capital" ("The Economic Effects of 9/11").
Political Changes: As a result of the 9/11 attacks, the United States significantly changed politically. During this time, ever since the 1990s, the United States was the only true superpower in the Middle East. Since the attacks, countries from around the world, including countries around Afghanistan, agreed that the United States should be able to use space for humanitarian relief purposes. President Bush was influencing nations to assemble a "fight against terrorism" and on September 12, the nineteen members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization cited Article 5 of their charter and concluded, "terrorist attacks on the United States as acts of war against all NATO members" ("September 11, 2001"). Another act passed after the attacks was the USA PATRIOT Act (October 2001). This act gave the power to "conduct searches of people suspected of terrorism; to detain and deport persons suspected of terrorist involvement; and to remove STATUTES OF LIMITATIONS on terrorism" ("USA PATRIOT Act of 2001"). Today, we still continue to fight against the "war on terrorism" to help improve our nation and to improve other nations as well.
Bush, George W. "George W. Bush’s Address to the Nation on September 11, 2001: The Full Text." Milestone Documents in American History. Ed. Paul Finkelman. 1 vols. Dallas, TX: Schlager Group, 2008. Salem History Web. 09 Jun. 2010.
Greenberg, David. "9/11 Attack." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 6. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 108-109. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 23 May 2010.
O’Neal, Michael J. "George W. Bush’s Address to the Nation on September 11, 2001: Document Analysis." Milestone Documents in American History. Ed. Paul Finkelman. 1 vols. Dallas, TX: Schlager Group, 2008. Salem History Web. 23 May. 2010.
"September 11, 2001: The United States is Attacked on its Own Soil." History Behind the Headlines: The Origins of Conflicts Worldwide, Volume 5. Gale Group, 2002. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/
"USA PATRIOT Act of 2001." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Shirelle Phelps and Jeffrey Lehman. 2nd ed. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 183-185. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 June 2010.
Zusman, Lynne K., and Neil S. Helfand. "Department of Homeland Security Act (2002)." Major Acts of Congress. Ed. Brian K. Landsberg. Vol. 1. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2004. 202-208. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 June 2010.
Background Information:
The ongoing "war against terrorism" has been said to be going on since around the nineteenth century, when President Jefferson had to deal with the Barbary Coast pirates in the Mediterranean Sea. Towards the end of the twentieth century, there were more issues concerning the United States and terrorist attacks. In April 1983, there was a bombing in the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 63 people. In October, of the same year, around 240 people were killed in another bombing in Beirut, on the U.S. Marine base. Then, in August 1998, there were bombings in the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in total injuring around 5,000 people. As a result of the bombings, on August 20, 1998, President Clinton "ordered cruise missile bombings of four Al Qaeda training sites in Afghanistan" (O'Neal). About two years later, on October 12, 2000, Al Qaeda retaliated and attacked the USS Cole (a U.S. Navy Destroyer), while it was docked in Yemen. This attack destroyed the ship and killed and injured more than 30 people. A year later, on September 11, 2001, around 19 men associated with Al Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes, with two of the airplanes destroying the Twin Towers in New York City and one airplane crashing into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth airplane was forced to crash in western Pennsylvania after the passengers learned of the other hijackings. As a result of the attacks, the United States seemed to change socially, economically, and politically.
Social Changes:
The United States was impacted socially in many ways. The attack in New York City caused many Americans to lose their jobs, their property, and for some, their lives. Also, there was a drastic increase in the concern for security, which led to new security checks at airports and new acts to be put in place. One of these acts, called the Homeland Security Act was used to create the Department of Homeland Security. The main point of this department is to prevent any further terrorist attacks on American soil. Some of the other operations include "reduce the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism, minimize the damage, and assist in the recovery, from terrorist attacks that do occur within the United States, and to monitor connections between illegal drug trafficking and terrorism, coordinate efforts to sever such connections, and otherwise contribute to efforts to interdict illegal drug trafficking" (Zusman). In addition, more and more public places, such as restaurants and malls, saw a decrease in people. According to Roland Soong, “These survey results are consistent with our prior discussion. Decreased activities are: traveling, dining out, going to malls, going to movies/theaters; Increased activities are socializing, family visits, spending time with children, religious activities, saving money, donating to charity and usage of all types of media." The attacks affected Americans in a way that they spent less money on consumer goods and an increased amount of time with their families. Also, as a result of these attacks, Americans from all around the country seemed to be getting closer to each other, uniting the country, and giving off a feeling of patriotism. "A surge of patriotism gripped the nation. Citizens flew flags, sang 'God Bless America', and donated money to the victims' families, the Red Cross, and firefighters' and police officers' associations" (Greenburg).
Economical Changes:
Due to the attacks on September 11th, the United States' economy was slowly beginning to fail. "In addition to the human cost, the 9/11 attacks had severe economic implications for the country, as airline travel was curtailed, investments lost value, and economic activity slowed, worsening an economic recession that was already under way" (O'Neal). Many Americans began to save money and the amount of consumer goods sold slowly began to decrease, as did consumer confidence in general, mainly due to the increase in the amount of unemployed Americans. Also, the airline industry began to lose large sums of money due to the decrease in flights because of the fear of plane hijacking. The United States' businesses were greatly affected by the airline industry's problems, including the Chrysler and Ford Motor Companies after closing some factories due to delayed shipments of parts. After facing bankruptcy, Congress passed a bailout bill, giving the airlines $15 billion in federal subsidies. In addition, there was a fall in stock prices and an increase in the rate of inflation, causing the already weak economy to worsen. "The quest for greater security will, however, impose a longer run cost on the world economy both in terms of a decline in productivity growth and, possibly, greater impediments to the free movement of goods, services, and capital" ("The Economic Effects of 9/11").
Political Changes:
As a result of the 9/11 attacks, the United States significantly changed politically. During this time, ever since the 1990s, the United States was the only true superpower in the Middle East. Since the attacks, countries from around the world, including countries around Afghanistan, agreed that the United States should be able to use space for humanitarian relief purposes. President Bush was influencing nations to assemble a "fight against terrorism" and on September 12, the nineteen members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization cited Article 5 of their charter and concluded, "terrorist attacks on the United States as acts of war against all NATO members" ("September 11, 2001"). Another act passed after the attacks was the USA PATRIOT Act (October 2001). This act gave the power to "conduct searches of people suspected of terrorism; to detain and deport persons suspected of terrorist involvement; and to remove STATUTES OF LIMITATIONS on terrorism" ("USA PATRIOT Act of 2001"). Today, we still continue to fight against the "war on terrorism" to help improve our nation and to improve other nations as well.
Links:
http://history.salempress.com/doi/full/10.3735/mdah_131b?prevSearch=%255Bfulltext%253A%2Bseptember%2B11%252C%2B2001%255D&searchHistoryKey=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lKZqqSI9-s
http://makehistory.national911memorial.org/
http://www.september11news.com/
Bibliography:
Pictures:
http://www.cleancutmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/911-Sept-11-2001-World-Trade-Center.gif
http://darrellloper.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/9-11-lights.jpg
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/terror/front.jpg
http://labellanoire.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/september-11.jpg
http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/911/images/WC.jpg
Websites:
"9/11 Effects In The USA." Zona Latina: The Latin American Media Site. Web. 04 June 2010. <http://www.zonalatina.com/Zldata248.htm>.
Bush, George W. "George W. Bush’s Address to the Nation on September 11, 2001: The Full Text." Milestone Documents in American History. Ed. Paul Finkelman. 1 vols. Dallas, TX: Schlager Group, 2008. Salem History Web. 09 Jun. 2010.
Greenberg, David. "9/11 Attack." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 6. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 108-109. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 23 May 2010.
O’Neal, Michael J. "George W. Bush’s Address to the Nation on September 11, 2001: Document Analysis." Milestone Documents in American History. Ed. Paul Finkelman. 1 vols. Dallas, TX: Schlager Group, 2008. Salem History Web. 23 May. 2010.
"September 11, 2001: The United States is Attacked on its Own Soil." History Behind the Headlines: The Origins of Conflicts Worldwide, Volume 5. Gale Group, 2002. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/
"USA PATRIOT Act of 2001." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Shirelle Phelps and Jeffrey Lehman. 2nd ed. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 183-185. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 June 2010.
Zusman, Lynne K., and Neil S. Helfand. "Department of Homeland Security Act (2002)." Major Acts of Congress. Ed. Brian K. Landsberg. Vol. 1. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2004. 202-208. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 9 June 2010.
Emilia Pisarski and Anna Szmolda